A PRAYER SERVICE AT HOME WHEN ATTENDANCE AT IS NOT POSSIBLE

Second of Divine Sunday

In these extraordinary times when we cannot gather as a Christian Community to celebrate Mass, let us unite ourselves spiritually to the Mass as it is being celebrated in our churches. One way you can do this by joining broadcast Masses on radio, television, or via the internet. This resource is offered to provide a ritual by which families, "the domestic church," can keep the Lord’s day holy by joining together to celebrate part of the Church’s liturgy at home. Ideally, the head of the family will lead the service; other members of the family should take on roles as readers. It would be appropriate to celebrate this service at the usual time the family would attend Mass. If possible, prepare a suitable prayer space with a crucifix, holy picture and/or a candle or two. If the family is blessed with musical talent, hymns would be appropriate.

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. All: Amen.

GREETING

Leader: We gather here to celebrate Sunday. Sunday has been called the Lord’s Day because it was on this day, the first Easter, that conquered sin and death and rose to new life. Unfortunately, we are not able to attend Mass today; in the light of the coronavirus pandemic, all public celebration of Mass has been suspended. But, let us now be united in the spirit of Christ with the Church around the world and celebrate our redemption in Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection Leader: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God for ever. All: Blessed be God for ever.

PENITENTIAL ACT

Leader: Coming together as God’s family, with confidence let us acclaim the Father’s forgiveness, for God is full of gentleness and compassion. After a pause for silent reflection, the leader continues. - 2 -

Leader: Lord Jesus, you brought us to salvation by your paschal mystery: Lord, have mercy. All: Lord, have mercy. Leader Lord Jesus, you renew us by the wonders of your passion: Christ, have mercy. All: Christ, have mercy. Leader Lord Jesus, you give us your body to make us one with your Easter sacrifice: Lord, have mercy. All: Lord, have mercy.

GLORY TO GOD

All: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, (Jesus), Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. COLLECT

Leader: Let us pray. God of everlasting mercy, who in the very recurrence of the paschal feast kindle the of the people you have made your own, increase, we pray, the grace you have bestowed, that all grasp and rightly understand in what font they have been washed, by whose Spirit they have been reborn, by whose Blood they have been redeemed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. All: Amen. - 3 - THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

FIRST READING Acts 2: 42-47

Reader: A reading from the Acts of the Apostles They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. The Word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 118 Reader: Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. All: Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. Reader: Let the house of Israel say, "His mercy endures forever." Let the house of Aaron say, "His mercy endures forever." Let those who fear the Lord say, "His mercy endures forever." All: Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. Reader: I was hard pressed and was falling, but the Lord helped me. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior. The joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just All: Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. Reader: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it All: Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. - 4 -

SECOND READING 1 Peter 1: 3-9 Reader: A reading from the First Letter of Saint Peter Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. The Word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Cantor: Alleluia, alleluia. All: Alleluia, alleluia. Cantor: You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are those who have not seen me, but still believe! Jn 20:29 All: Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL John 20: 19-31

Leader: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." - 5 - Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name. The Gospel of the Lord. All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

REFLECTION This reflection appears in The Word Among Us which is providing free access to their magazine content during this stage of the coronavirus crisis. Visit wau.org.

Reader: Jesus had appeared to the disciples on Easter Sunday. So why did he come a week later to the exact same place? Perhaps it was because this time Thomas was there, and Jesus wanted to convince this doubt- ridden disciple that he had truly risen from the dead. Jesus could have stayed away, but he didn’t want to leave Thomas in that state. So he invited Thomas to touch his wounds and see that it was really him. And that act of compassion and patience — that act of mercy — led Thomas to proclaim, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Eventually, that mercy would lead Thomas to travel far and wide proclaiming the gospel and, in the end, give his life for his Lord. Thomas’ story shows us that God’s mercy involves more than just the forgiveness of our sins, great as that is. It also involves his compassion for our weakness and his patience with our slow progress. It’s a wide mercy that frees us from our doubts, fears, and guilt as well as our sin. Like Thomas, it allows us to experience Jesus’ divine life more fully so that we can follow him wherever he leads us. In the end, God’s mercy cannot be separated from his love. He is love and he is mercy — that is his very nature. Every day Jesus comes and stands in our midst, desiring to show us that he is our Lord and God. Every day he wants to take away our doubts and fears and forgive our every sin. Every day he wants to open us to more of his life and blessings. - 6 - Don’t ever underestimate the power of divine mercy! As you continue to read from the Book of Acts this Easter season, know that every miracle the apostles did, every word they spoke, was grounded in the mercy they had first received — and continued receiving to the end of their lives. God’s mercy is the foundation of your life too, a mercy that is new every morning, a mercy that will never, ever end (Lamentations 3:22-23)!

PROFESSION OF FAITH

All: I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made, For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: [All bow during these two lines:] and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and become man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the Prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. - 7 -

GENERAL INTERCESSIONS

Leader: The risen Christ brought his peace to the apostles, as he showed them his pierced hands and side. Let us pray confidently in his name, knowing that he brings true peace through his victory over death. Reader: The response will be: Lord, hear our prayer. Reader: For the Church, the Body of Christ, that we preach Christ’s resurrection as the victory over sin, death and the world, providing life and light to all the nations, We pray to the Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer. Reader: For those in positions of authority who bear the weight of having to make decisions in this pandemic, that God will guide and protect them. We pray to the Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer. Reader: For all of us to whom Jesus extends his Divine Mercy, that we may always trust in Jesus, be drawn into his compassionate Heart, and celebrate his mercy by extending it to others. We pray to the Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer. Reader: For our families, that this time without Mass may increase our spiritual strength from home with a deeper hunger and love for God. We pray to the Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer. Reader: For all who are suffering from this pandemic, that God may grant health to the sick, strength to those who care for them, comfort to families and salvation to all the victims who have died. We pray to the Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer. Reader: For all who work in essential jobs, that God will protect them and their families from illness and give them strength to fulfill their duties We pray to the Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer. - 8 -

Reader: For all who are unemployed, that God will guide them in maximizing their resources and open new opportunities for them to use their gifts and skills. We pray to the Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer. Reader: For the sick, especially those for whom we have been asked to pray, and, particularly, those who are placed in quarantine and isolation, that God’s healing touch may bring them comfort and peace. We pray to the Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer. Reader: For all our sisters and brothers who have died, especially those who have died as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, that they experience the joy of God’s heavenly family for all eternity. We pray to the Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer. Reader: For the prayers we now make in the silence of our hearts, (pause) We pray to the Lord. All: Lord, hear our prayer. Leader: Father of Mercies, may we see and understand how we have been blessed by the faith we celebrate during this Easter time. We ask this through Christ our Lord. All: Amen. LORD’S PRAYER

Leader: Let us pray with confidence to the Father in the words our Savior gave us. All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. - 9 -

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION St. Alphonsus Liguori

All: My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed . I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

PRAYER OF BLESSING

Leader: St Michael, the Archangel, Protect and Pray for us. All: Amen. Leader: The Lord bless us and keep us; the Lord make his face shine on us and be gracious to us; the Lord turn his face toward us and give us his peace both now and forever. All: Amen. Leader: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. All: Amen. SOURCES Lectionary for Sunday Mass © 1998, 1997, 1970, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC Prayers at Home When Gathering for Mass Is Not Possible © 2020, the Diocese of Clonfert and the Diocese of Elphin, Ireland The © 2011, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest: Leader’s Edition © 2007, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC The Word Among Us, © 2020 The Word Among Us.